Russian cities where there is a Kremlin. Moscow Kremlin, past and present. Why is the Kremlin called the Kremlin?

IN Ancient Rus' any Big City had a fortified territory - the Kremlin. Consequently, Kremlin is the name of city fortifications in Ancient Rus'. Currently, there are 12 Kremlins left in Russia, which have been well preserved over the centuries and have not changed their urban status.

The modern walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin were built in 1482 - 1495 by Italian architects from red brick, in place of white stone ones; they were completed in the 17th century. Number of surviving towers: 20, number of gates - 4, height of walls: from 5 to 19 meters, thickness of walls - from 3.5 to 6.5 meters. In the Moscow Kremlin there are the Assumption, Archangel, Annunciation Cathedrals, several churches, patriarchal chambers, the Terem Palace, the Garnet Chamber, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and other buildings. The Moscow Kremlin is an object World Heritage UNESCO since 1990.

2. Rostov Kremlin

The Kremlin complex was built by Rostov Metropolitan Jona Sysoevich as a bishop's house on the shores of Lake Nero in 1670-1683. The fortress walls have 11 surviving towers, including four entrance towers. The Kremlin contains the 5-domed Assumption Cathedral, built at the end of the 16th century, the cathedral belfry with the famous 13 Rostov bells, as well as several beautiful churches and wards. The Kremlin is a unique architectural complex of the late 17th century. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

3. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

The Kremlin walls with 12 surviving towers (originally 13) were built in 1508 - 1515, probably by the Italian architect Pyotr Fryazin. The number of gates is 5, the height of the walls is from 12 to 22 meters, the thickness of the walls is from 3.5 to 4.5 meters. The Kremlin contains the Archangel Michael Cathedral, built in 1631 in honor of the victory of the militia in 1612, where Kuzma Minin is now buried, several civilian buildings, and a monument to Minin and Pozharsky.

4. Tula Kremlin

Brick walls and towers were built in 1514 - 1520 as a defensive fortress on the southern borders of the country. Number of surviving towers: 9, number of gates - 4, height of walls: from 12.7 meters, thickness of walls - from 2.8 to 3.2 meters. The Kremlin withstood the siege of the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey in 1552, and in 1608 the rebels of I. Bolotnikov withstood the siege of the tsarist troops in the Kremlin for four months. The Kremlin houses the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in 1762 - 1764. Epiphany Cathedral(1855 - 1863), monument to Peter 1.

5. Novgorod Kremlin

Modern fortress walls and towers were built in 1484 -1490 on the foundations of old walls from the beginning of the 14th century. (the kid himself is on the territory modern Kremlin existed since the 10th century). Nine of the towers have survived to this day, including the 30-meter Kokuy Tower, built at the end of the 17th century. The number of gates is 3, the height of the walls is from 8 to 15 meters, the thickness of the walls is from 3.6 to 6.55 meters. In the Kremlin are Novgorod Saint Sophia Cathedral mid-11th century, the oldest stone structure on the territory of Russia, the Chamber of Facets and other buildings. In 1862, the monument “Millennium of Russia” was inaugurated in the Kremlin. The Novgorod Kremlin has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

6. Kazan Kremlin

This Kremlin was built in the 10th-16th centuries by Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiray in the Pskov architectural style. Number of surviving towers: 8, number of gates - 2, height of walls - from 8 to 12 meters. The walls and towers were reconstructed in the 17th and 19th centuries. On the territory of the Kremlin there are the Annunciation Cathedral, built in 1562, the Syuyumbeki watchtower (buildings of unknown date), and also built in the 1990s. Kul Sharif Mosque. The Kremlin withstood the siege of Pugachev's troops in 1774. The Kazan Kremlin has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

7. Astrakhan Kremlin.

Located on a high hill on the banks of the Volga. It was built in 1562 - 1589 by Mikhail Velyaminov and Dey Gubasty. Number of surviving towers: 7, number of gates - 2, height of walls - from 3 to 8 meters, thickness of walls - from 5 to 12 meters. The white stone walls of the Kremlin include seven towers - three travel towers and four blind ones. On the territory of the Kremlin there are the Trinity and Assumption Cathedrals, the Cyril Chapel, and the bishop's house. The Prechistensky Gate is crowned with a tower with a bell tower and a clock (height 80 m).

8.Zaraisky Kremlin

Built in 1528 - 1531 by order of Vasily III. Number of surviving towers: 7, number of gates - 4. Being a border city, part of the line of fortifications on the southern border of the Russian state, Zaraysk was subjected to repeated attacks by the Horde, and in 1608 it was captured by Polish troops. In 1610, the governor of Zaraysk was Prince D.M. Pozharsky. The brick Kremlin is lined with white stone on the outside. Of the 7 towers, three are travel. The Kremlin houses St. Nicholas Cathedral and the late Church of John the Baptist.

9. Tobolsk Kremlin

This is the only stone Kremlin in Siberia. Construction time: 1683-1799. Number of surviving towers: 7. Built by G. Sharypin and G. Tyurin: stone walls and towers so-called. Sophia Court and the five-domed Sophia-Assumption Cathedral (1681 - 1686) - the oldest stone structure in Siberia. In 1700 - 1717, Semyon Remezov built the secular part of the Kremlin - the Small or Voznesensky city. The cathedral bell tower (height 75 m) was built at the end of the 18th century, the Intercession Cathedral in the 1740s. Other structures of the Kremlin were built in the 18th - 19th centuries. Under Boris Godunov, the famous Uglich bell was “exiled” to Tobolsk, for which a special stone belfry was built in the Kremlin.

10. Kolomna Kremlin

Built in 1525 - 1531. under Vasily III on the site of a wooden Kremlin destroyed by the Tatars. The walls and towers have been partially preserved. Number of surviving towers: 7, number of gates - 6, height of walls - from 18 to 21 meters, thickness of walls - from 3 to 4.5 meters. Of the towers, the “Marinka Tower” stands out especially, in which, according to legend, Marina Mniszech was imprisoned. The Kremlin houses the Assumption Cathedral (late 17th century), Resurrection Church (rebuilt in the 18th century), Trinity Church (late 17th century) and other buildings.

11. Pskov Kremlin

The time of construction of this Kremlin: the end of the 11th - beginning of the 12th centuries. Towers - 7, Gates - 1 (through the zahab), wall height: from 6 to 8 meters, wall thickness - from 2.5 to 6 meters. The Pskov Kremlin is called “Krom”. It is located at the confluence of the Velikaya and Pskov rivers. The walls and towers were built in the 12th century. made of limestone and are the oldest surviving Kremlin fortifications in Russia. The five-domed Trinity Cathedral of the late 17th century is located on the territory of Krom. and a seven-sided bell tower of the same time, built at the beginning of the 19th century.

12. Ryazan Kremlin

This Kremlin was built in the 15th century. And at the end of the 17th century, the walls and towers of the Kremlin were demolished due to dilapidation and the lack of need to defend the borders. Only the rampart and ditch have survived. The Ryazan Kremlin is a complex of historical and architectural monuments located on the territory of the original Pereyaslavl-Ryazan fortress, located between the Trubezh and Lybid rivers. The structures are surrounded by an earthen defensive rampart of the 12th -17th centuries. On the territory of the Kremlin there is the Assumption Cathedral, built at the end of the 17th century. in the style of “Naryshkin baroque” by Y. Bukhvostov, a four-tiered bell tower (late 18th - early 19th centuries), the Nativity and Archangel (16th centuries) cathedrals, bishops' chambers (17th - 19th centuries) - the so-called. the chambers of Prince Oleg, other churches and civil buildings.

Which Russian cities have a Kremlin? In the form in which we are most accustomed to seeing them. Their Short story

and photo
Included in the World Heritage List: - Moscow Kremlin a large architectural complex, a fortress, the geographical and historical center of Moscow, located on the left bank of the Moscow River, on Borovitsky Hill, the most ancient part

city, currently the residence of the highest government bodies of Russia and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country. Administratively located in the Central Administrative District, it is designated as an independent administrative unit. - Kazan Kremlin (Tat. Kazan kirməne, Qazan kirməne)

citadel of Kazan. Today serving as a center of self-government, it is the southernmost example of the Pskov architectural style in Russia. The Kremlin is located on the cape of a high terrace on the left bank of the Kazanka River.
Extant: - Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin fortress in Nizhny Novgorod, historical city center, stone belt

, covering the top of a mountainous cape and lying on the Volga slopes with ledges. - Pskov Krom (Kremlin)

a defensive structure built in 1595-1602 during the reign of Tsars Fyodor Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. Architectural monument. Architect - Fyodor Kon. The length of the walls is 6.5 km (less than half of the walls and towers have survived). It had enormous defensive significance in the Russian state.
Kolomensky
Astrakhan
Tobolsk
Tula
Rostovsky
Alexandrovsky
Vladimirsky

Without walls: Volokolamsky, Dmitrovsky, Ryazansky, Yaroslavsky
In the ruins: Gdovsky, Izborsky, Porkhovsky, Serpukhovsky, Velikoluksky
Only marks from the walls: Belozersky, Borovsky, Opochkinsky, Starodubsky, Tverskoy, Khlynovsky
Unknown condition: Ostrovsky, Torzhoksky

The Kremlin (the original name until the 14th century was Detinets; other synonyms were krom; city, town or city; fortress) is the currently accepted name for city fortifications in ancient Rus'; a city surrounded by a fortress wall with loopholes and towers. In many cities there were settlements located behind the Kremlin wall, for the defense of which additional external fortifications were often erected; In this case, the Kremlin was the name given to the central part of the city surrounded by walls. In Ancient Rus', only those settlements in which such fortresses were built were called cities.
Since ancient times, the powerful fortress, the central part of the ancient Russian city, was called the Kremlin. This word was first mentioned in the 14th century. There are several versions of its origin. According to one of them, “Kremlin” comes from the ancient Greek “kremnos”, i.e. "solid".
But in the ancient Slavic language there were such words as “kremnik”, “krem”, which, according to different versions, meant “pine forest”, “forest”, a fortress inside a city or a wall enclosing it.
Thus, it can be assumed that the Kremlin was a fortress surrounded by a high wooden fence. Moreover, some historians suggest that this fence was made from a special type of wood, impregnated with resin for greater strength.
The Kremlin was considered the core of the entire settlement. Its walls were the last possible barrier for enemies. The entire surviving population of the city gathered here for a “siege.”
Initially, Kremlins were made of wood, but already in the 13-14th centuries, in order to increase their defensive capability, architects began to erect stone outposts, impervious to fire, surrounded by impregnable towers and water ditches. Over time, the Kremlins lost their original significance as a military fortress, but to this day these architectural ensembles do not cease to be masterpieces of fortification art.
The Kremlin is both a place of concentration of state power and an inimitable city-forming ensemble, within which large administrative, political, spiritual and cultural centers are concentrated.
The history of each Kremlin is a small grain in the history of the formation of Russian statehood. The Kremlins are the stronghold of the state, within whose walls its historical past was born.
The Moscow Kremlin is a fortress, a symbol of reliability and inviolability, a stronghold of state power, the main religious and Cultural Center. This is truly the focus of all the main vital functions of the city, containing its idea, ideal image, genetic code. That is why it became a symbol of Moscow and the entire Russian state.
In Russia there are more than 20 historical and cultural complexes, behind which the name “Kremlin” has firmly established itself. These are not only military fortresses with stone walls and towers, they are also wonderful architectural complexes with temples, palaces, chambers, and solemnly decorated entrances. The Kremlins of Russia are the pride of our Russian land.

Included in the World Heritage List: — a large architectural complex, a fortress, the geographical and historical center of Moscow, located on the left bank of the Moscow River, on Borovitsky Hill, the most ancient part of the city, currently the residence of the highest government bodies of Russia and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country. Administratively located in the Central Administrative District, it is designated as an independent administrative unit.

city, currently the residence of the highest government bodies of Russia and one of the main historical and artistic complexes of the country. Administratively located in the Central Administrative District, it is designated as an independent administrative unit. — Kazan Kremlin (Tat. Kazan kirməne, Qazan kirməne)

citadel of Kazan. Today serving as a center of self-government, it is the southernmost example of the Pskov architectural style in Russia. The Kremlin is located on the cape of a high terrace on the left bank of the Kazanka River.
Extant: — a fortress in Nizhny Novgorod, the historical center of the city, a stone belt covering the top of a mountainous cape and lying in ledges on the Volga slopes.

, covering the top of a mountainous cape and lying on the Volga slopes with ledges. — Pskov Krom (Kremlin)

historical and architectural center of Pskov. Located on a narrow and high cape at the confluence of the river. Pskov in the river Great. Covers an area of 3 hectares. The initial settlement in the cape part of the site dates back to the middle of the first millennium. — a defensive structure built in 1595-1602 during the reign of Tsars Fyodor Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. Architectural monument. Architect: Fyodor Kon. The length of the walls is 6.5 km (less than half of the walls and towers have survived). It had enormous defensive significance in the Russian state.

list:

Stone Kremlins
Astrakhan Kremlin (preserved)
Vologda Kremlin (bishop's house, preserved)
Gdov Kremlin (partially preserved)
Zaraisky Kremlin (preserved)
Izborsk Kremlin (preserved)
Kazan Kremlin (preserved)
Kolomna Kremlin (partially preserved)
Mozhaisk Kremlin (minor fragments and the Kremlin hill have been preserved)
Moscow Kremlin (preserved)
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin (preserved)
Novgorod Detinets (preserved)
Porkhov Kremlin (mostly preserved)
Pskov Krom (preserved)
Rostov Kremlin (bishop's house, preserved)
Serpukhov Kremlin (two fragments of the wall and the Kremlin hill have been preserved)
Smolensk Kremlin (partially preserved)
Staraya Ladoga Kremlin (partially preserved)
Tobolsk Kremlin (partially preserved)
Tula Kremlin (preserved)
Yaroslavl Kremlin (two towers preserved)

Stone-wooden kremlins
Vladimir Kremlin (the Golden Gate and ramparts have been preserved)
Vyazemsky Kremlin (one tower and the Kremlin hill have been preserved)
Grodno Detinets (the hill has been preserved; in the 14th century a Lithuanian castle was erected on it)
Kamenets Kremlin (the vezha has been preserved)
Kiev Detynets (Golden Gate rebuilt)
Lyubsha settlement (a small hill has been preserved)
Pereyaslav Kremlin (modern city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, ramparts preserved)
Tver Kremlin (not preserved)
Truvorovo settlement (ramps preserved)
Kholm Kremlin (now the city of Chelm in Poland)

Wooden kremlins
Alexander Kremlin (since the 17th century, the Assumption Kremlin has been located on its territory convent with stone walls)
Aleksinsky Kremlin
Belgorod-Kyiv (fortification)
Belz child
Borovsky Kremlin
Velikoluksky Kremlin (the ramparts have been preserved; in the 18th century, Peter the Great's bastions were built on them)
Vereisky Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Volokolamsk Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Dmitrov Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Zvenigorod town (ramps preserved)
Kaluga Kremlin
Kleshchin (fortified settlement, preserved ramparts)
Kostroma Kremlin (the ramparts have hardly survived)
Minsk child
Mtsensk Kremlin
Novgorod-Seversky detinets
Opochka Kremlin
Oryol Kremlin
Pereslavl Kremlin (Pereslavl-Zalessky) (ramps preserved)
Pustozersk (fortification)
Putivl child
Radonezh (fortification, preserved ramparts)
Ruza Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Rurik settlement
Ryazan Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Sviyazhsk Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Staritsky Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Starodub Kremlin
Old Ryazan (fortified settlement, preserved ramparts)
Suzdal Kremlin (ramps preserved)
Torzhok Kremlin
Uglich Kremlin
Tsivilsky Kremlin
Cheboksary Kremlin
Chernigov child
Yuryev-Polsk Kremlin

A characteristic feature of our psychology has long been noticed: when visiting other cities and countries, we literally pounce on museums, exhibitions, collections, architectural monuments and turn into energetic sightseers. But at home - in Moscow or any other small homeland- we pay a thousand times less attention to all these riches of culture and spirituality.

How long has it been since you last visited the Moscow Kremlin?

I suggest you take a tour of the Kremlin right now. But not ordinary, but onomastic.

The word Kremlin appears for the first time in one of the entries in the Resurrection Chronicle dating back to 1331 - in the news of the fire of Moscow: “In the summer of May 6839 there was a fire in Moscow, the city of the Kremlin burned down.”

Until 1367, when the Kremlin under Dmitry Donskoy was surrounded by a stone wall, it was simply called a city. All buildings that lay outside the Kremlin were called posad, and more distant settlements were called zagorod. The famous Russian historian of Moscow and the Kremlin, S.P. Bartenev, noted that after the Kremlin was enclosed in stone walls in 1367, it received the name of the stone city. And then, when the stone wall of Kitai-Gorod was built in 1535-1538, the ancient Moscow fortress began to be called old stone city . Well, the name Kremlin itself became established in use (as can be seen from numerous and reliable historical sources) only in 1589, when the walls of the White City were erected (another defensive line that ran along the line of the modern Moscow Boulevard Ring

). An interesting pattern, isn't it?

A prominent historian of Moscow, an expert in the “biographies” of Moscow streets and squares, P. V. Sytin, in one of his books, draws the attention of readers to the fact that in an entry under 1354, telling about another Moscow fire, the Kremlin fortress is called Kremnik: “burned city Moscow, Kremnik all over.” Probably, the names Kremlin and Kremnik were synonymous, since when describing another fire that happened in 1365, the fortress was again called the Kremlin in the chronicle: “The entire settlement, both the Kremlin and Zarechye, burned down.” Many hypotheses about the origin of the word Kremlin have been put forward at different times. And yet, perhaps only two deserve attention. One connects the name Kremlin with the Greek word kremnos , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word.

Kremlin Many hypotheses about the origin of the word Kremlin have been put forward at different times. And yet, perhaps only two deserve attention. One connects the name Kremlin with the Greek word Back in 1873, researcher A. M. Kubarev, in his article “Where does the word Kremlin come from,” suggested that the toponym could have its origins in the Greek word , meaning “steepness, steep mountain over a bank or ravine." He argued his hypothesis by the fact that, firstly, the Kremlin itself stands on exactly this high mountain could really get to Rus' and penetrate into Russian speech, into the speech of Muscovites. In particular, this could have happened thanks to the numerous Greek clergy who arrived in Moscow in the late 20s of the 14th century in the retinue of the new Metropolitan Theognostus, a Greek by birth. Both in earlier and later times, numerous Greek words penetrated into the Russian language, among them - tower, lantern, lime, vinegar, drying oil, etc.

We will not categorically reject A.M. Kubarev’s version: it has its own attractiveness and its own evidence. But I think the second hypothesis, supported by the majority of scientists, is more plausible. And it's clear why. It does not need foreign language support; it has enough of its own, native Russian foundations.

According to this hypothesis, the name of the Moscow Kremlin arose, was born from the ancient Russian word , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word and its derivative flint meaning “a fortress inside a city.” This hypothesis is also given by Max Vasmer in his famous “Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language”. The etymologist considered the words to be related to , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word words like , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word“part of the clearing where the best timber grows” Kremlin“strong, durable” - about construction wood, Kremlin pine “pine at the edge of the forest” - therefore, “big, powerful” chrome and others.

We find a similar series in Vladimir Dahl’s “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language.” By the way, in it , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word the author gave a number of unique thematic parallels from dialect vocabulary: Kremlinnik"coniferous forest in a moss swamp" cream“the best part of the reserve, strong and large timber”, Kremlin tree “a tree on the edge of the forest, growing alone and in the open, a strong building tree.”

These chains in both V.I. Dahl and M. Vasmer lead us to the idea that the word , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word may be associated with the idea of a wooden chopped fortress, isn’t it? By the way, in the chronicle news about the beginning of the construction of the Moscow Kremlin it is said: “laid down the rubite.”

Famous historians I.E. Zabelin and M.N. Tikhomirov also believed that the words Kremlin, Kremlin, Krom(the fortress of ancient Pskov is named Krom) are associated with the fact that ancient Russian fortresses were wooden chopped fortifications. M. N. Tikhomirov wrote in one of his books dedicated to medieval Moscow: “The Word flint or , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word could indicate the nature of the construction of the fortification from coniferous, pine wood, in contrast to oak wood. Kremnik burned down, and in its place they began to build (“cut down”) a city, or a city. Nevertheless, as often happens before our eyes, the Moscow castle has retained its old and familiar name.”

Gradually the word , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word could take on a new meaning - not just “a chopped fortification”, but “an internal fortress, a castle inside the city.” After all, until a settlement arose around ancient little Moscow, settlements arose that became an integral part of the city, the Moscow fortress was not called the Kremlin, it was simply called the city: “small Drevyan city.” For example, in the Tale of Bygone Years, where the chronicler reports on the Ryazan raid on Moscow in 1177, it is said: “Gleb came to Moscow that autumn and burned the entire city and villages.” Probably the reason that the word , the other correlates this name with the Old Russian common word began to be actively used, there was an expansion of the city, in connection with which the boundaries of the original fortress appeared - in comparison with Kitay-Gorod, the White City. Perhaps it was precisely this name that contained an indication of the edge, the boundary of the urban center.

Words Kremlin, Kremlin, Krom akin to the word besides, meaning “edge, boundary strip, border.” chrome According to Vladimir Dahl, the words and its derivatives edge, edge, edge were distributed everywhere. In modern Russian literary language the word edge, in addition to the meaning of “the longitudinal edge of the fabric, a narrow strip along the edge of the fabric”, is preserved, for example, in the phrase ice edge. This word acts as a term in carpentry - “longitudinal edge of a board”, and in the sewing industry the word is used hem- “edge of fabric.” Words kromina were distributed everywhere. And treasures were not included in the literary language and are now perceived as dialectisms. Similar roots to the word chrome there are also words like except, secluded, modest. Word as “border, edge, border” formed the basis of several Russian toponyms - names). This hydronym (the name of the river) is mentioned in the ancient “Book of the Great Drawing” in the forms Krom, Krom and Kromy. The Kroma River was a kind of border, on which there was a fortification even before the construction of the city. And “watchmen” were regularly sent to this settlement - guard detachments from the cities of Karachev and Orel. After all, beyond the Kroma River and the neighboring border, “Ukrainian” territories, the Wild Field began, from where enemies constantly raided Russian cities. Toponymists also know other names with the same root. For example, in a 16th-century scribe book for the Kashira district you can find the rivers Kromisha, Krominka, and Kromnitsa. At that time, the village of Kromnitsa stood on the banks of the latter.

Now the Kremlin is a single whole, from the point of view of the structure of the historical and architectural complex. It does not have as many streets as before, but there are two squares - Sobornaya and Ivanovskaya, as well as Spasskaya, Nikolskaya, Dvortsovaya (until recently - Kommunisticheskaya) streets. Although their existence is now rather conditional, and the toponyms themselves are hardly known even to Muscovites.

Cathedral Square is the central square of the Kremlin.

Ivanovo Square spreads widely to the east of the huge octagonal pillar of Ivan the Great with a belfry.

It probably received its name at the very beginning of the 16th century, when the architect Bon Fryazin created the Ivan the Great temple-tower. Previously, there was a small stone church here, built under Ivan Kalita and bearing the name of St. John the Climacus “like the bells” (these were the names of churches whose belfry was not a separate part of the building, the bell tower familiar to us, but was located at the very top of the church itself). The first part of the name gave the name to the new church. The church itself was included in the new temple. But why did Ivan Kalita order to build a church specifically in honor of John Climacus, one of the many early Christian “hermits”, that is, not the most famous saint? This is explained very simply. Prince Ivan Danilovich was baptized precisely in honor of John Climacus, since he was born on the day of remembrance of this Christian ascetic, who became Kalita’s heavenly patron. And now, under the very dome of Ivan the Great, you can read the inscription written in meter-sized relief letters. It says that “the temple was completed and gilded” in 1600, under Boris Godunov, although in 1600 the tower erected by Bon Fryazin was just being built on. The second half of the name - the Great - corresponds to the grandiose dimensions of the structure, according to the ideas of our ancestors: the height with the cross is about 81 meters, the diameter of the head is 9 meters. As I already said, the phrase “like the bells” was a designation of an ancient type of temple, when a dome was placed on a massive cube, which served as a room for bells (sometimes as a watchtower), and therefore calling Ivan the Great a bell tower is incorrect. In the 17th century, Ivanovskaya Square of the Kremlin was an extremely busy place. Crowds of people and petitioners were always visible near the buildings of numerous orders. On some cases of “orders” (a kind of ministries of that time), oral “publications” were made on Ivanovskaya Square: clerks loudly shouted warnings, read decisions to the assembled Muscovites. It is generally accepted that this is where the saying originated

scream at the top of Ivanovskaya (although there are other versions of its origin and initial motivation). A lot of valuable and

The Borovitsky Gate and the tower of the same name are located in the place where all of Moscow came from - at the mouth of the Neglinnaya River. It is usually believed that the name Borovitsky, Borovitskaya is derived from the word boron"coniferous, mainly Pine forest" Indeed, once upon a time there was a rustling pine forest all over the hill where the ancient Moscow fortress was built and in its surroundings. This is evidenced by the names of the churches located in the Kremlin: the Church of the Savior “on the forest”, John the Baptist “under the forest”, etc. But if the motivation for the name was exactly that, then the gate and the square in front of the gate would be called not Borovitsky, but Borovoy or Borovsky (as Borovaya Street in the eastern part of Moscow was named at the beginning of the 19th century, since these are the rules of the Russian language, Russian word formation). The name Borovitsky could only be formed from the word borovitsa. This rare word once existed in the Russian language and meant “small forest, pine grove.” The word dubrovitsa “small oak grove” is similar to it. Both of them are currently preserved only as part of the names: the village of Borovitsy ( Kirov region), Dubrovitsy (former estate near Moscow, near Podolsk), Borovitsky Gate, and along it - Borovitskaya Square. True, another explanation is also possible: boletus in many Russian dialects refers to various plants, in particular grass like heather. Then the Borovitsky Gate is the gate located where the boletus grows.

The old name of the tower and gate has reached us, even despite the royal decree prohibiting calling it Borovitskaya: on April 16, 1658, Alexey Mikhailovich ordered to call the Borovitsky Gate the Baptist, after the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Sometimes the Borovitskaya Tower was referred to as the Chertolskaya Tower, since it was located not far from the Chertolye tract, where there were many ravines and gullies (the name of the tract is described in more detail in the article “Prechistenka”).

Approaching the State Kremlin Palace, unfortunate for protected area structure made of glass, concrete and steel, you will certainly pass the Trinity Tower. The name of the Trinity Tower has been known since 1658 and was given to it by the Trinity Compound, which was located nearby on the territory of the Kremlin. Over the long years of its history, the Trinity Tower was called differently: Epiphany, Znamenskaya (after churches) and several other names. The approaches to it from the north-west and to its Trinity Bridge over the Neglinnaya River were protected by the Kutafya Tower. The mystery of this name has not yet been revealed, although there are several assumptions. According to one of them, the name of the Kutafya tower is historically associated with the word kut"corner". But this interpretation is not entirely convincing, mainly because it does not explain the entire word-name, but only its first half. In Russian folk dialects the word kutafya was quite common, and in some it is still known. In some (Vologda, Pskov, Vladimir) it is used in relation to a heavily wrapped woman, in others (Olonets) this word is used to describe a clumsy or carelessly dressed woman. It is quite possible that the Kutafya Tower got its name from its appearance: not tall, like all the other Kremlin towers, but squat, wide at the base.

In the center of that part of the Kremlin wall that borders Red Square, the Senate Tower rises. It is located directly behind the mausoleum. And behind the tower is the former Senate building with a round dome, which gave it its name (it is also the former building of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, now the residence of the President of Russia).

Nearby rises the most famous of the Kremlin towers - Spasskaya, with the Spassky Gate of the same name. Its original name was Frolovskaya. It was given in reference to the nearby church of Frol and Laurus. Since 1658 the tower has been called Spasskaya. It owes its name to the icon of the Savior installed on it from the Kremlin side. Unfortunately, the image of the Savior has not survived to this day.

The name of the corner Beklemishevskaya tower is associated with the name of a real historical person - from the Kremlin side, the courtyard of boyar Ivan Nikitich Beklemishev, nicknamed Bersen, that is, “gooseberry,” adjoined it. In the 16th century, Tsar Vasily Ivanovich ordered the boyar Beklemishev to have his head cut off “for arrogance,” and the boyar’s courtyard became the royal property. They made a prison out of it - in the same way, by the way, as out of a tower. The Beklemishevskaya tower was also called Moskvoretskaya because of its proximity to the Moscow River and Moskvoretsky Bridge.

The Taynitskaya Tower, facing the Moskva River embankment, fully justifies its unusual name. The Tainitsky Gate of the Kremlin also existed previously. These names come from antiquity: in case of a siege, a secret exit from the fortress was built in the tower and a secret well was dug. For some time, the gates in the tower were also called Vodyany (because they led to the river) and Cheshkov (because next to them in the 15th century there was the courtyard of Prince Daniil of Galicia-Czech). The Taynitsky Garden in the Kremlin, which is now inaccessible to ordinary Kremlin visitors, is also named after the tower (although during my childhood, in the early 60s, it hosted a New Year’s party for Moscow schoolchildren - with a Christmas tree, Father Frost and the Snow Maiden).

Not far from the Tainitsky Garden there is a not very remarkable white building, which is connected by a gallery to the Grand Kremlin Palace. This is the Armory Chamber, a unique treasury of works of decorative and applied art.

Its building was built just over a hundred years ago, but the name dates back to the 16th century.

Since the time of Ivan III, who married the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologus, the splendor of the Moscow court has noticeably increased. This was largely facilitated by skilled foreign craftsmen - Greeks and Italians - who came to Moscow. In 1511, Grand Duke Vasily III ordered the establishment of a special Armory Chamber. Since it produced not only military, but also ceremonial weapons, it required, in addition to gunsmiths, master artists: metal, bone and wood carvers, minters, goldsmiths, goldsmiths, etc. For this reason, the Armory Chamber grew into a complex Weapons Order that concentrated a variety of crafts. The specialists of each of them occupied a special chamber (Workshop, Gold, Armory, etc.), but the general management of all work was still carried out by the Armory Order. It was also located in a separate chamber, which is why it was usually called the Armory Chamber. Thus, at the Moscow court, a one-of-a-kind art academy was formed, serving the royal needs. Over time, the Armory Chamber turned into a museum, which gained particular fame only in modern times.

Here is the legendary Monomakh hat - the famous crown of Russian great princes and tsars. Often visitors to the Armory, who have seen Monomakh's hat with their own eyes, are interested in where the nickname of Prince Vladimir Monomakh, who gave rise to the Monomashich family, to which the Moscow Grand Dukes belonged, came from. Vladimir himself wrote about his origins in the famous “Teaching”: “I am a poor father of Yaroslav, blessed, glorious, named in baptism Vasily, the Russian name Volodymyr, beloved by his father and his mother Mnomakha (that is, a mother from the Monomakh family. - M.G.)".

The fact that the prince bore a double name was not surprising, since not even a hundred years had passed since the adoption of Christianity. Prince Vladimir's mother was Princess Anna, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh. Her marriage to the Russian prince Vsevolod was not only one of the conditions of the peace treaty with Russia, but also a military indemnity, turned into a dowry during this agreement.

Thus, the name of the Byzantine emperor, who was destined to pass through centuries of Russian history and become one of the justifications for the autocratic power of the Moscow tsars, was included in the Russian military spoils (the legend about the transfer of the prerogatives of imperial power by the Byzantine emperors to the Russian princes was also born).

The Tsar Cannon, located here, also lives up to its name.

This 16th-century miracle weighs 40 tons. However, speaking about the motivation for the name of the Tsar Cannon, let's not forget that it contains an image of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich - on a horse and in military attire. Some ancient weapons located near the Arsenal also have a number of their own names - Lev, Gamayun (a fairy-tale bird is depicted on Gamayun).

The ancient buildings in the Kremlin have interesting names. For example, the Faceted Chamber overlooks the western side of Cathedral Square. This is the oldest surviving civil building in Moscow. It was built in 1487–1491 by Italian architects Mark Fryazin and Pietro Antonio Solari. The area of this palace throne room is impressive - about 500 square meters. The most solemn and crowded receptions took place here, zemstvo councils met, and victories of Russian weapons were celebrated. However, the name of the building was not associated with its purpose, but with its appearance. The eastern facade of the Faceted Chamber is processed using the rustication technique - faceted stone, hence the name Faceted. It was not for nothing that the chronicler admired: “There is a floor called Granovita, large and tall, near the great cathedral church, it was built with amazing craftsmanship, made of hewn stone and cut like scales.”

Our Kremlin, the symbol of Moscow and Russia, is amazingly beautiful! “What can we compare with this Kremlin, which, surrounded by battlements, flaunting the heads of cathedrals, reclines on a high mountain.” These words were written by young Mikhail Lermontov, who was greatly impressed by the Moscow Kremlin in his adolescence. Other beautiful, textbook lines by M. Yu. Lermontov about the Kremlin:

It seems to me that it can with good reason be addressed to all the ancient Kremlin names, to all that rich scattering of toponyms and other proper names that can be found on the ancient Kremlin hill. Over the centuries, the territory of the present central Russia actively built up defensive structures. This was due to the existence of separate principalities and the constant transfer of borders that needed to be protected. Some fortifications were erected in cities and were of key importance for the development of the area. They provided shelter for residents in case of attack, served as a location for troops and gradually turned into the heart of the city. In addition to the obligatory walls, towers, loopholes and other things related to military affairs, within the boundaries of each Kremlin there could be chambers, temples, and outbuildings. Now all these beauties have become part of tourist routes. Most of them are well maintained and used as museums or for administrative purposes.

How many kremlins are there in total and in what cities are they located? Excursions, towers, museums and cathedrals! List with photographs, names and descriptions of the best places.

Moscow

Built at the end of the 15th century. Located on Borovitsky Hill on the river bank. It was not only of strategic importance, but also declared Moscow’s ambitions as the “third Rome”. Nowadays it is the residence of the president of the country. The Kremlin and Senate palaces have been restored. Research and excavations are being carried out on the Kremlin Hill. The Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon, Assumption and other cathedrals are also located on the territory.

Kazansky

The current appearance was formed by the 16th century. The most old part cities. Initially it was a fortress and played an important role in the confrontation between the Bulgars and one of the principalities of the Golden Horde. Temples, a mosque, a palace, and an office were built inside the walls, which had 13 towers. Now it is the residence of the head of Tatarstan. There are also a number of municipal services, several museums and the Khazine Gallery.

Novgorod

Built in the 15th century on the banks of the Volkhov River. Also called Detinets. The reconstruction of the wooden predecessor of the Kremlin was started by Ivan III, who even invested his own funds. The walls are elongated into an uneven oval, there are towers along the entire perimeter, only three have not survived. On the territory there are three churches and St. Sophia Cathedral, as well as the monument “Millennium of Russia”, “ Eternal flame" And so on.

Kolomensky

Built in the first half of the 16th century. It was necessary to strengthen the borders in the confrontation with the Tatars. The fortress and its structures suffered more from time and vandals than from wars. 7 towers have been preserved and restored, although initially there were 16 of them, and partly the wall. On the territory of the Kremlin, which has an area of 24 hectares, there are several churches, two monasteries, and two cathedrals.

Pskovsky

Built at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries on the banks of the Velikaya River. Dovmontov town is part of the complex. It was added later for additional protection city and began with a new level of walls. During excavations, temple foundations and part of the wall paintings were found here. The territory, in addition, includes the Trinity Cathedral, the Order Chambers, powder magazines, a bell tower, 7 towers and more.

Tula

Built in the middle of the 17th century. Originally it was the residence of the Metropolitan. Although built in the traditions of defensive architecture, it did not have defensive tasks, so there are deviations from the canons of the style in construction: wide gate, lack of loopholes, different window design, etc. Architectural ensemble has changed somewhat over time. Now it includes the Assumption Cathedral, a garden, a palace and a cathedral square.

Nizhny Novgorod

Built at the beginning of the 16th century at the confluence of the Volga and Oka. The city was a border town, so there was a military outpost here, and there was a constant presence of troops. Subsequently, an area for entertainment events was created. The walls stretch for 2 km. 13 towers have been preserved and restored. Within the walls there is a cathedral where Kuzma Minin is buried. Now the Kremlin is the residence of high-ranking officials, including the governor and mayor.

Tobolsk

Built at the beginning of the 16th century. The oldest building in the city. The Kremlin was needed to secure the path to Moscow. The area exceeds 6 hectares. The walls rise 13 m. The stone fortress has 9 towers, 4 have gates. There are 2 cathedrals inside the Kremlin. Architectural complex created using different styles, but looks like a single whole. Some details speak of the Italian school of architects.

Astrakhan

Built in the second half of the 16th century. Its emergence is associated with the transfer of the city and the construction of some kind of fort. The place was not chosen by chance: it was difficult to get to because of the waters of rivers and canals, and there was also an elevation - Hare Hill. Now it is a branch of the museum-reserve. The ensemble includes many objects: towers, a powder magazine, a torture chamber, barracks, a consistory, etc.

Astrakhan

Built in the 17th-18th centuries. The only stone Kremlin in Siberia. It did not have a pronounced defensive value. The construction was planted from the capital, from where the architects were sent. 7 towers have been preserved, the walls and all structures within the Kremlin are made of white stone. The complex includes: a courthouse, cathedrals, a bishop's house, a monastic building, a bell tower and more.

Ryazansky

In the 12th century, the first defensive rampart was built here. The Assumption Cathedral and the nearby bell tower also had navigational significance: they were the only ones visible as landmarks when rafting along the Oka. None of the towers of the fortress walls have survived. Churches and temples date back to different centuries, but fit into the general style. Now the Kremlin has been converted into a museum-reserve. It is one of the oldest in Russia.

Zaraisky

Built in the first half of the 16th century. In the very first years it was attacked by the Golden Horde. He was besieged several times, but almost always prevailed in confrontations with the enemy. Walls with towers and gates, 2 cathedrals and a religious school have been preserved. Now the territory of the Kremlin is given over to the museum of the same name. It has been operating since 1918. The exhibition includes art objects from all over the world.

Dmitrovsky

Built in the 12th century. Originally the residence of the princely family. IN different time the fortress was under the command of the Lithuanians and Poles, but not for long. Converted into a museum-reserve in 1918. It has a picturesque and long rampart that replaced walls. Three roads pass through it. One is through the recreated Nikolsky Gate. The main attraction is the Assumption Cathedral.

Uglichsky

Built in the 15th century, but subsequently supplemented with new buildings and strengthened. Located on the banks of the Volga. The old defensive redoubts have been destroyed; their existence can only be judged by the remains of a ditch. The Transfiguration Cathedral dates back to the 17th century, at the same time the Church of Dmitry on Blood appeared (on the occasion of the death of the prince), and the building of the city council was erected in 1815.

Syzransky

Built in 1683 at the confluence of three rivers. Its construction is associated with the expansion of the country to the southeast. Of the five original towers, one has survived - Spasskaya. It was a gatehouse, but then it was modernized and a church appeared inside, now it houses a museum. There are alleys and flower beds nearby. There is also another church on the territory of the Kremlin, built in 1717.

Verkhotursky

Founded in 1698. The Kremlin acquired its current appearance already in the 18th century. It is the only building of its kind in the Middle Urals. Initially, it was a huge estate, which was surrounded by walls and towers. Now the Kremlin is a museum and historical complex. The museum “Sovereign Barns” is open; tourists have access to the bell tower. The main attraction is the Trinity Cathedral.

Vladimirsky

Laid down in 1567. It had defensive functions; the Kremlin was especially in demand in the 17th century. The fortress was surrounded by a river and ditches. They were partially preserved, and one ditch later became a river. The foundations of the shopping arcades remained visible. Sights: St. Sophia Cathedral, the former palace temple - now a church, bell tower, complex of the Bishop's Court. The latter is sometimes mistakenly called the Kremlin.

Serpukhovsky

Built in 1374. The first option is made of oak. When strengthening the banks of the Oka, stone walls appeared and other structures were redone. Subject to raids by Crimeans. Only the foundations of some buildings, two separate fragments of the wall and the Trinity Cathedral have been preserved. Despite its current situation, the ruins constantly attract researchers and tourists. Ancient objects, such as coins and crosses, have been found here many times.

Gdovsky

The first mention is the XIV century. Located in the city of the same name. The first fortifications here were made of earth; the embankments were replaced by stone walls, and then by towers. The Kremlin went through sieges, devastation, destruction, etc., but each time it fought back and was restored. Main Cathedral The fortress was blown up during the Second World War. It was rebuilt in the 90s of the last century according to available images and drawings.

Mozhaisky

Construction was carried out in periods, the walls were constantly strengthened, and lasted a total of several centuries from the 12th to the 17th. Little has been preserved from the once important outpost: a gate with a section of a wall, fragments of a fence, earthen embankments, fragments of towers. Excavations were carried out repeatedly. The following items were found: a poker, a chess piece, a reliquary icon, a bone comb, etc.

Volokolamsky

Construction of individual parts began in the 15th century. It is located on the territory of the settlement of the same name. It differs from structures of a similar type: little has been preserved; it is not known for certain what exactly was here originally. During excavations, traces of a wooden fence of the Kremlin were discovered. Currently, the complex includes 2 cathedrals built in different centuries and a five-tier bell tower.

Tsarevokokshaisky

Construction was completed in 2009. Located in Yoshkar-Ola. Previously, there were defensive structures here, but only minor traces of them remained, found during excavations. The Kremlin has a rectangular shape, surrounded by red brick walls with towers. It is used as a recreated historical monument, and also as a site for city entertainment events, agricultural exhibitions, etc.

Smolensk Kremlin

Built at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries. It had an important defensive value, so it was constantly strengthened. The architect used both old techniques in creating the fortress and new trends. The wall had a three-tier combat system. The fortress suffered especially during the retreat of Napoleonic troops, who almost completely destroyed it. 18 towers have survived, although there were twice as many originally.

Porkhov Fortress

Built in 1387. Located in the central part city of the same name. The initial purpose is to strengthen the trade route. During its existence it experienced siege and decline. The current state of most facilities is depressing, close to emergency. There are 3 towers. Within the boundaries of the fortress there are museums of the Porkhov Post Office, local history museum and St. Nicholas Church.

Izborsk fortress

Built at the beginning of the 14th century. It became the basis for the city of the same name, which arose around the fortress. The original meaning is defensive. Reconstruction and construction of new redoubts were carried out, as the attacks were constant. IN this moment is being restored. The buildings most in need of restoration are the towers and the wall. St. Nicholas Cathedral and the battle passage have already regained their former appearance and are available for inspection.

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